Various detergent compositions and their ingredients, such as surfactants, are well known in the art. For example, early synthetic surfactants for use in detergents included anionic surfactants because they are excellent at dirt removal. However, anionic surfactants produce a high suds level. Depending on where and how the anionic surfactants are used, the high suds level may or may not be problematic. For example, when anionic-containing detergents were used in the wringer washers of the 1940s, the high suds level was not a problem. The suds floated on top, away from the cleaning zone in these top load washers and therefore, did not hinder the cleaning process. However, in the 1950s and 1960s when tumbler washers (including lower water use washers) were introduced, there were disadvantages associated with the high suds level produced by the anionic surfantant-containing detergents. The suds hindered the mechanical action in the washer and resulted in reduced cleaning. Thus, non-ionic surfactants were then introduced for use in detergent compositions. The non-ionic surfactants were effective on grease and oily stains and produced a low suds level. The low suds level was considered an advantage for the new automatic washing machines.
In the art, there has been considerable interest generated by the synergistic relationship between non-ionic and anionic surfactants and saturated fat combinations. Such combinations can be effective to produce a lower suds level while boosting cleaning power. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,954,347.
Today, various known detergent formulations are no longer desirable due to several current factors in the marketplace. These factors include (i) the introduction of modern high efficiency (“HE”) washing machines, such as dish washing and clothes washing machines, which have extremely low water usages that are mandated by the government and (ii) phosphate free detergent formulations. Thus, for example, the current washing machines have little or no tolerance for the production of suds in the cleaning cycle. However, producing a detergent with a low or zero suds profile has proven to be difficult by detergent manufacturers.
In the art, there appears to be a shift away from the use of non-ionic surfactants combined with anionic surfactants. Newer formulations, such as HE detergents which are specifically formulated for use with HE dish washing and clothes washing machines, may contain an anionic surfactant only. Some of these HE detergents may result in a higher suds level than some previous detergents which used a non-ionic surfactant combined with an anionic surfactant. Thus, these HE detergents can produce a significant amount of suds (e.g., foam-up) hindering the mechanical action in the washing machine and causing reduced cleaning performance. In addition, a high suds profile can also cause poor rinsing and result in residue build up with the new lower water levels in the wash and rinse cycles of washing machines. Some washing machine manufacturers have incorporated mechanical and software devices, with protocols not controlled by the user, to monitor suds levels in order to handle the problem of significant suds/foam profiles resulting from newer detergents. When these devices are activated and an over-suds condition is detected, resolution of this condition may not be simple and in some instances, may even require a repairman to resolve and/or reset.
Newer detergent formulations which include a substantial amount of anionic surfactants may also include antifoam agents to control the suds profile. These antifoam agents can include oils of silicone or emulsions of silicone. These antifoam agents do not easily disperse or dissolve in water, and they do not rinse out as easily as water-soluble ingredients. Further, antifoam agents are typically in the form of a liquid at room temperature and therefore, the resulting detergents containing these agents are also in the form of a liquid.
It is desired in the art to formulate a detergent composition that exhibits good cleaning performance for a broad spectrum of soils and has little or no suds profile such that when used, the detergent composition reduces or precludes the production of suds. Moreover, it is also desired that the detergent composition be in the form of a powder.